Chalk trough for blackboards



May 20 1924. 1,494,582

` G. W. BROOKS CHALK THOUGH FOR BLACKBOARDS Filed May z. 1923 2 sheets-smet 1 M v m1@ May 20 ,l 1924.

G. W. BROOKS CHALK THOUGH oa BLAcKBoARDs Filed May 5. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 20, i934,

Miren sra'rlezs` Marsac ilisrlala'l*v OFFICE.

GEORGE w. BROOKS, OF TOPEKA, Kansas. i

einem; TROUQH :son BLAoKBoARDs. i

Application mea May 3, `1923. serial Nascanna.

more particularly pertains to the chalk trough and tray and the attaching means.

The present invention has for its objects among others to provide a simple and efcient yet durable trough which `will effectually prevent the chalk dust from being scattered or blown away, the trough being also formed to preventthe chalk or crayons from rolling olf, on to the floor. It has for a further object to so construct `and arrange the parts that the attaching means for the trough shall form the ymeans for supporting the tray beneath the trough. l so construct the trough that it can be out into desired lengths and secured in place economically without ythenecessity of holes or bolts, and 'that it can'be easily cleaned, having no rough edges or uneven surfaces,

having a hollowy body andk constructed to v v parts throughout the several views.y

allow of the necessary adjustments ofthe braces for locating thempin any desired place. The braces serve the double purpose of fastening the trough and holding' the blackboard in place on the wallor' other support. There are no projecting heads of screws or `bolts to catch 4on the clothes of the persons yusing the blackboard and no countersinks or unsightly places in the face of the trough. f H I provide corner blocks which will allow the` chalk trough to be fitted up into ay corner or. at right angles whenidesired. The corner blocksfserve as receptacles for the chalk. The trough serves as a cover for the tray and conceals the chalk dust. The trough is adapted for vuse with and attaoh ment to any form of blackboard., It is prac- "tically ,.indestructable and*l is sanitary and fire-proof.y j f @Other Objects and advantages of the invention will hereinar'terv appear and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined ,by the appended claims. i

The invention, in its preferred form, is

clearly` illustrated in the accompanyin drawings, which, with' the numerals of re erence marked thereon, form a part of this specication, and in which-l v y Figure l is a face viewofa blackboard, with a portion broken away, 'showing my chalk trough applied. l

Figure 2 is a cross section of the same as on the line 2--2 of Figure 1,'lookingvin the direction ofthe arrows.

Figure 3 is a view similar` toFigure 1 with the chalk tray removed. i

Figure 4 is a detail ofthe tray removed. Figure 5 is a. perspective view of the` chalk tray removed.

. Figure 6 is a section on thek line of Figure 2, looking in the direction yof the arrows.

`t Figure 7r isa section on the `line--7r of Figure 8. i i

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Figures 1 and 7, looking inthe direction of the arrows. f

`Figure 9 isan enlarged section on the line 9-9 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 10 is a perspective detail of one of the attaching brackets.

Like numerals of reference indicatelike Referring to the drawings-y l designates a blackboard, which may be of anywell known or approved form of construction, of metal, wood, or any composition.' f f i It is preferably provided at `the opposite sides and at the top (the latter lnot being shown) withwooden moulding 2`covered by metal strips 3. This wood moulding serves -to take up vibration and to actas a `Sound deadener. The covering of metal is for the purpose of making it more permanent and to reinforce the wood so that it will make a` stronger and neater moulding and the metal can be finished with a coating of enamel before shipping. By this provision the device can beiitted up at the lfactory and applied rwherever desired without any troubleor finf kishing.

The blackboard may `loe applied tothe surface of the wall, and the chalk trough screwed tothe wood groundswhich are located in the walls of the building, and by friction will prevent the blackboard froml giving. In Figure 2 the wood grounds are indicated at 4 and the securing means at 5.

The chalktrough,v as shown best in Figure 8, isformed of a single piece of material, metal, and shaped to form the oppositely -inclined upper Walls 6, the oppositevertical Walls 7 and the inwardly extended Walls 8 which in turn are bent-,to forinthe yupstanding Walls 9. The inclined Walls 6 form a bottom 'for the @trough which is tapered toward the centre as seen in Figure l8, and the space betvveen the adjacent edges-of these inclined Walls is slotted as seen at '10,1Figures2 andg, through which slots the chalk dust will fall'` into -v the tray soonftobe described. The vtrough member maybe vformedi-n length-to besevered as ocv casion may require.

Y'l`heMcl-1alk#trough Vmayfbe -ailiXed i-n A positionfby suitable means; in the present instance I have shown Whatfhas proven a very satisfactory means. 11 arebrackets, on'eof which is seen clearly in 'Figure-10, and comprises the `vertical-'body portion l2 having 1.' the openingl,forming the members 14 and the latter being of greater length Ythan the fior-mer and provided -With an opening 16 for the A.reception of fasteningfmeans. v:This member 15 is provided at each end with an YVangularslot 17 asseen clearly in Figure 1,0, :for a purpose soon to be described. 18Qis a member extending ata right angle i'rom the Vverticaledge of the body portion and this is provided With one or more openings y1-9 for the Vreception of screws or other securing means. Thismember 18 is omitted from FigurelS for the sake of clearness.

In practice, three -or more, depending upon the Width of the'blackboard, of these brackets are employed, inthe present instance, three; one at each endand one near the centre of the blackboard. They are applied byV sliding endwise upon `the chalk trough, :the angular portions 8 `andv9 ofthe trough engaging inthe angular slots 17 of Ithe brackets as seen clearly in Figure 8.

Vhen in place the brackets are secured vfirmly in `position by vscrews or rthe like passed through the openings 16 and intothe blackboard or .the Wall, andfat theends, by vmeans of a screw or bolt or theflikeQO passed through ,thehole 16 in ythe member 15 which .engages .in the adjacent .Wall of a corner :block soon to be described.

rrace.

the adjacent Wall of the blackboard to make a neat joint at that point. The inner Wall or end plate of the end block *forms a convenient means for cleaning the blackboard eraser -by rubbing the latter over the edge thereof.

Each corner block is cut away upon tWo ,adjacent sides seen at 26 and 27 so that the blocks may be reversed, making the same universal, for use at a corner or any other desired position.-

These corner blocks -orm a convenient restror the chalk, being flat upon their upper faces,andlb y being closed upontheir under `sides las seengat l28 they form a convenient pocketin which the chalk may be stored if 'desired 4Thebottom 28 may b e formed integral-With'the block, Vor it may be a separate piece as seen in Figure 7,.fianged as Iat 29 and securedto they adjacent Wall of the corner block by bolts or the like 30.

Inorder to hold the braces oribracketsll in vplaceand prevent them from pullingout l-.Illold ordiangeftheen'ds ofV the flanges@ of the trough Ias seen at 31 in IFigure 9 and bendthemfup` against the endsI of the member '15 of the brackets i11. yThis fburr or ybending or .the parts Causes the 'braces-or brackets :to stop aboutv anleighth of an inch back from the chalk trough, Which spaceal- `lows roomzfor a bracket 32,see Figure 7,5the` ilange of whichzis held in placefbywsoldering .or by the bolt 130. This bracket ormember 32 carriesa thumb screw/B3 which serves Ito retain the cha'lk1tray,^soon to be fdescribed,

`in place. Therend `bracket-1braces have openings therethrough, 4through which bolts are placed Ito securethe end plates v'32x .in place. This -end plate may also kbe used Where Asplicesare made to break thezjoint.

v f34is thetray for collecting the chalk dust. It isstarmped up orlotherwise formed 'from a single piece of fmetal, and comprisesfthe Asides 35 and and the 1bottom 37,.'and from the bottom extendsa. downwardly directed `langel38 `Which -isrprovidedwith an offset as at 39,.the depending member 138 Land the on- .,set 39 forming a :neat 1finish when "the Jtray lis in position, as Will be read-ily l.understood from Figures 1 and 8. The trayfts snugly between `the inner end' plates of the .corner blocks to :form a tight joint. It rests upon the' brackets 82 as seen'in Figures '5, 6, f7 'and f8 and is secured against movement Albynmeans of the thumb screws 33, which permit fof ait-s ready removal Whenzit is desired to remove the chalk dust therefrom.

All the parts may ybe made of galvanized tiren, orlany other :suitable material all of which may be finished with an enamelsuir- Whatever :the material used it `Will .give ythe same results and will make fa sanitary article.

Referring atoF igure f8 it will be seen that lthe challk trough forms a cover ortho-.chalk dust tray, not only concealing the dust but preventing the same from being scattered or blown around. The trough being of springy material will insure a close fitting to theblackboard.

Modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing :trom the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of itsadvantages. What is claimed as new is l. A chalk trough having imperiorate inclined walls and a perforated bottom, and side walls having inturned and upturned portions, brackets, and corner blocks cooperating with said brackets and with said portions. v

2. A chalk trough having imperforate inclined walls and a perforated bottom, and side walls having inturned and upturned portions, brackets, corner blocks cooperating with said brackets and with said portions, and a tray supported from said portions.

3. A chalk trough having imperforate inclined side walls and a perforated bottom, corner blocks adjacent the terminals of said trough, brackets connecting said trough and blocks, and a tray fitted snugly between the inner walls of the corner blocks and supported by said brackets in said perforated bottom.

4. A chalk trough having a body portion.

with oppositely inclined imperforate walls and a perforated bottom, and tray-supporting means having interlocking connection with said trough and having means on which i the tray rests.

5. An attaching bracket :tor the purpose described embodying members at substantially right angles to each other, one of said members having slots oneof which yis angular, the said member having an open-end# ed passage, and a tray-supporting member extending from said passage at substantially right angles to said member.

6. A chalk trough having depending sides with angled portions, and brackets having position underlying y slots cooperating with said angled portions interlocking connectionr with the trough for` supporting the tray.

8. A chalk trough having its side walls formed with angled portions, and corner blocks, each cut awayupon two adjacent sides to adapt it for use at either end of the trough.

9. A chalk trough having its side walls formed with angled portions, and corner blocks, each cut away upon two `adjacent sides to adapt it for use at either end of the trough, and brackets for use at the corners at the ends of the trough and formed with longitudinal portions to support a tray.

l0. A chalk trough having depending angular portions, and a bracket having angular slots for cooperation with said an ular kportions and having means for supporting aV tray beneath the trough.

11. A supporting bracket foruse with a chalk trough and tray, the same comprising a body portion with an arm having angular slots at the ends, and a right angled member having openings whereby itmay be secured 1n place.

12. A supporting bracket for use with a' chalk trough and tray, vthe same comprising "a body portion with an arm with angular slots at the ends, a right angled portion whereby it may be secured in place, and a lateral member for supporting a tray.

13. A supporting bracketfor use with a chalk trough and tray, the same comprising a body portion with opening and angular slots at the ends, a right angled portion Jfor securing it in place, a lateral member eXtending from said opening, and means in the last named member for securing a tray in place thereon. l

In testimony whereof I at'ix my signature.

`GEORGE W. BROOKS. y 

